


From Charlie to Crutchie

by unofficialfansie



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, polio
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-06-26 23:22:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15673365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unofficialfansie/pseuds/unofficialfansie
Summary: Unbeknownst to most, Crutchie Morris wasn't known as Crutchie when he first joined the ranks of the newsboys. (Sequel to Brothers in All But Name)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I wasn't planning on writing a sequel to Brothers in All But Name, but someone gave me a suggestion which got the wheels turning in my brain and this was the result.

****

The sound of the morning bell ringing roused Jack from his restless sleep, and he sat up with a large yawn. All around him, other boys were doing the same as they prepared for another day of selling newspapers in the hot sun.

Jack looked over at the bed next to him, a fond smile on his face as he gazed at the form of his still-sleeping brother. It was moments like these that he counted his lucky stars they had managed to escape from the Refuge (relatively) unscathed a year earlier.

Reaching over, Jack poked Anthony repeatedly in the arm to wake him. “Hey Race, rise an’ shine,” he said, calling Anthony by the nickname he had received after only a few months of selling newspapers due to his love of selling near the Sheepshead Bay racetrack.

“Piss off, Kelly,” Race groaned in reply, rolling over so that his back was facing Jack in an effort to ignore him.

Jack chuckled, swinging out of bed and pulling his shirt on in one fluid motion. “Come on Racer, time ta greet the day!”

Race groaned again but he obeyed Jack and sat up, giving himself a little shake in order to wake up before beginning his morning routine.

Jack looked out across the room at the boys who in the past year had become his closest friends, a grin creeping onto his face. He had never dreamed he would find a family when he and Anthony had begun selling newspapers, but he was certainly glad that they had.

Speaking of… Jack’s grin faded slightly as he caught sight of the youngest and newest member of their family, a 10-year-old boy named Charlie with a mop of sandy blonde hair. The boy, who was normally a bundle of energy with a smile that could charm Joseph Pulitzer himself, looked to be almost asleep on his feet, swaying unsteadily as he clumsily buttoned his shirt.

Frowning in concern, Jack quickly crossed the crowded room and approached the boy, who he could now see looked somewhat feverish as well.

“Heya, Jack!” Charlie perked up upon seeing Jack, quickly transforming into his normal self. “Beautiful mornin’, ain’t it?”

Jack gave Charlie a small smile, nodding. “Yeah, I suppose it is. Listen, are ya feelin’ okay? Only you looked a little sick just a minute ago.”

Charlie shrugged, bending over and pulling on his boots. “I feel fine. I got a little headache, is all.”

“Ya sure?” Jack asked, not satisfied with Charlie’s response. He could tell when someone was pretending not to be sick in order to sell papers, it was something he had seen several times in the past year.

Charlie sighed heavily, fixing Jack with an annoyed look which startled Jack, he had never known Charlie to get annoyed in the few months he had known him. The kid was one of the most easy-going people Jack had ever met, that was partly why the other boys liked him so much. “I’se fine, Jack. Promise.”

“Okay,” Jack said after a moment, reluctantly turning away from Charlie and joining Race who was on his way out for the day.

“What was that about?” Race asked, stealing a glance at Charlie over his shoulder. He wasn’t as close to him as Jack was, but he was still concerned.

“Nothin’, just him bein’ stubborn,” Jack said, sighing tiredly. Sometimes he felt like he was 32 instead of 12.

Just as Jack and Race were about to exit the lodging house there was a loud thud behind them, and Jack turned to see Charlie in a heap on the floor.

“Kid! You okay? What happened?” Jack cried worriedly, hurrying over to Charlie with Race following close behind him.

“I’se fine,” Charlie said softly, already trying to pick himself up. “My legs just kinda stopped workin’ for a second.”

“Well that ain’t normal,” Jack said, placing a hand on Charlie’s forehead. As he had predicted, it was hot. “An’ you’se got a fever.”

“I can still sell,” Charlie protested weakly as Jack picked him up and carried him to his bunk, but Race shook his head.

“You can, but you ain’t gonna. Stay here an’ rest up for the day, an’ we’ll see how you feel tomorrow.”

“Race is right,” Jack affirmed, pulling Charlie’s boots off and pulling his blanket over him. “I’ll spot ya enough so that you can stay here today, an’ you can sell tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Charlie acquiesced, snuggling under the covers with a sleepy smile. “Thanks, Jack.”

“Anytime, kid,” Jack said softly, smiling down at Charlie as he drifted off. When he was certain the boy was asleep, Jack turned to Race. “If I sell for ya today, do ya mind stayin’ ta look after him?”

“Not at all,” Race said. “But I don’t think he’s that sick, an’ won’t that make extra work for you?”

“Maybe,” Jack admitted. “But I wanna be sure he’s okay.”

As Race observed Jack gazing at Charlie, realization dawned. “Charlie reminds you of me when we first met, doesn’t he?”

Jack hesitated for a moment at Race’s unexpected question, then nodded. “A little.” He fixed Race with a pleading look. “Just look after him for today, okay? I’ll make it up to ya, I promise.”

Race smiled at Jack, patting his arm reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Jack. I got it.”

Jack sighed in relief. “Thanks, Race. You won’t regret it!”

“I better not!” Race laughingly called back as Jack hurried out of the door to begin work for the day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some angst. No warnings except someone throws up at one point, but it's brief and not graphic at all.

Charlie was still fast asleep when Jack returned from selling that evening, his face flushed pink with fever.

 

“He’s a little hotter than he was this mornin’, but not much,” Race told Jack as he pocketed the coins Jack handed him. “I don’ think it’s too serious, but he probably ain’t gonna be able ta sell tomorrow.”

 

Jack sighed heavily, nodding in understanding. “Okay. Thanks for stayin’ with him today, Race.”

 

Race nodded, standing and smiling reassuringly at Jack. “He’ll be okay. Try not ta worry too much, else you’ll get sick too.”

 

Jack smiled softly at Race, taking his place next to Charlie’s bunk. “I’ll try. Thanks again, Race.”

 

********************************************************************************************************

 

Jack must have dozed off at some point while he sat at Charlie’s bedside because the next thing he knew he was being rudely awakened by the sound of someone retching.

 

Jack quickly shook himself fully awake, looking over at Charlie with concern. The boy was leaning away from Jack, vomiting onto the floor next to his bed.

 

“Kid?” Jack asked hesitantly, wanting to help in some way but being unsure of what exactly Charlie needed.

 

Charlie took a deep breath, wiping his mouth on his sleeve as he turned to look at Jack with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jack.”

 

“Hey, there’s no need to be sorry,” Jack soothed, reaching over and wiping away the tears which fell from Charlie’s eyes. “You’se just got the flu or somethin’, it ain’t your fault.”

 

Charlie nodded, sniffing loudly as he offered Jack a small smile. Jack smiled back, then stood and made his way over to the nearby bathroom to grab a towel to clean the mess up with. Charlie watched him, looking more than a little embarrassed.

 

By the time Jack had cleaned the floor up completely Charlie had fallen asleep once again, his chest rising and falling evenly as he slept peacefully. Jack considered the sleeping boy for a minute, then decided it would be alright if he slept in his own bed for the rest of the night. After all, he needed to be well rested if he wanted to be able to make enough money to pay for both him and Charlie to stay at the lodging house the next day.

 

********************************************************************************************************

 

“Jack! Jack, wake up!”

 

Jack was startled awake to see Race leaning over him, his face twisted with worry. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his speech slurred slightly after being woken suddenly for the second time that night.

 

“It’s Charlie. Somethin’s wrong, he’s cryin’ and says he can’t move his leg.”

 

Jack was up and awake in an instant, following Race over to Charlie’s bed. Upon approaching Jack could see that Charlie was indeed crying, tears streaming down his face as he took in labored breaths and tried to suppress his sobs.

 

“Hey, Charlie. What’s wrong?” Jack spoke quietly and gently so as to not wake the other boys, as well as mask his own fear and uncertainty.

 

“I hurt, Jack,” Charlie hiccupped, his lower lip quivering.

 

Jack’s heart clenched but he swallowed the lump in his throat and continued talking. “Where does it hurt, kid?”

 

“My head, my neck, my legs, everywhere!” Charlie cried, dissolving into a fresh bout of tears.

 

At Charlie’s mention of his legs, Jack remembered what Race had told him. “What’s this about you not bein’ able ta move your leg?”

 

“It won’t work, Jack! I try an’ it won’t work!” Charlie declared, looking understandably scared and distraught.

 

“Hey, it’s okay. Take a deep breath an’ try ta calm down, alright? Bein’ upset won’t help anythin’,” Jack said softly, smiling gently at Charlie. “Me an’ Race’ll go wake up Kloppman, an’ he’ll send for the doctor. You’ll be right as rain in no time, I promise.”

 

“Okay,” Charlie said, his breathing slowing down as he calmed down.

 

Jack ruffled Charlie’s hair affectionately, wincing internally as he felt the heat coming off of the younger boy’s forehead. He then stood and began walking towards Kloppman’s room, Race following close behind him. “Ya really think he’ll be okay, Jack?”

 

Jack shrugged, his expression blank and emotionless. “I dunno, Race. I dunno.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I am not a doctor or any other type of trained medical professional, and my knowledge of the symptoms of polio comes from the internet and a memoir I read a few years ago in school (it was called Small Steps, The Year I Got Polio if I'm remembering correctly and I highly recommend it) so please take everything I have written here with a grain of salt.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Jack and Race had managed to wake Kloppman and tell him to call a doctor Charlie had fallen back into a restless sleep, whimpering in pain every so often as he tossed and turned. Jack and Race watched him, neither of them saying anything.

 

“Jack? Race? What’s goin’ on?”

 

Jack and Race turned to see Scout, the unofficial leader of the Manhattan newsboys, approaching them with a confused expression on his face.

 

“Charlie’s real sick,” Race explained after a beat of silence. “Kloppman’s called a doctor.”

 

Scout looked concerned. “Is it that serious?”

 

Jack nodded, studying his feet. “Looks like.”

 

“Why didn’t ya tell me?”

 

Race looked at Jack, who shrugged. “Didn’t wanna bother ya, I guess.”

 

Scout sighed. “Jack, how many times do I have ta tell ya you ain’t botherin’ me? I’se the leader here, not you. I get that Charlie’s your friend, but I’m responsible for both of you. Ya gotta tell me stuff, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Jack said softly, still refusing to meet Scout’s gaze. Scout opened his mouth to say more, but suddenly footsteps could be heard approaching the room and Kloppman entered accompanied by an older man who was presumably the doctor.

 

All three of the boys immediately hurried off to one side, none of them wanting to obstruct the doctor’s path. The man quickly approached Charlie’s bed with a grave expression on his face, and he pulled various tools out of his bag as he began to examine the boy.

 

“What’s wrong with him?” Race asked hesitantly after a few minutes of watching Charlie’s examination. The doctor didn’t answer him, however, he simply sighed heavily and shook his head as he packed up his instruments.

 

Jack felt his heart begin to hammer in his chest as he watched this interaction, and his hands twitched with nervous energy as the doctor exchanged words in a low voice with Kloppman. After a few minutes, Kloppman nodded in understanding, and the man offered the boys a tight smile before turning on his heel and leaving the same way he came in.

 

“Scout,” Kloppman said after a moment of silence, gesturing for the older boy to come to talk to him. Scout obeyed, and Jack and Race both waited with baited breath as the two spoke.

 

“What do ya suppose is wrong with Charlie?” Race whispered to Jack, sounding confused and slightly scared.

 

“Dunno, but I think we’se about ta find out,” Jack replied, as Kloppman exited the room and Scout hurried back over to them.

 

“Well?” Race asked, an impatient edge to his voice. “What’d the doctor say?”

 

A pained expression flashed across Scout’s face, but it was gone so quickly that Jack wondered if he had imagined it. Scout took a deep breath, looking at both boys with sad eyes. “The doctor said that it looks like polio.”

 

“Polio?” Race exclaimed, so loudly that Scout hushed him to keep him from waking the other boys up.

 

“What’s Kloppman gonna do?” Jack asked, resenting the way his voice suddenly sounded much younger than usual. “Charlie’s gonna be okay, right?”

 

“The doctor told Kloppman that Charlie should be in a hospital, where they can treat him properly. He’s callin’ for an ambulance now,” Scout patiently explained to both boys.

 

Race visibly relaxed, though Jack was still on edge. “Well if he’s goin’ to a hospital they’ll get him fixed up in no time. Right, Jack?”

 

“I guess,” Jack mumbled, feeling suddenly overwhelmed with the need to get out of the room. It was suffocating him. “Excuse me.”

 

Ignoring both Race and Scout’s worried looks Jack pushed past them both, heading up the stairs to the door to the roof. He had discovered this place by accident just a month earlier and had quickly claimed it as his own personal space. Not even Race was allowed up there.

 

Jack breathed in a lungful of the cool night air as he stalked across the roof, trying to calm down. He felt hot tears trickle down his face, and he furiously swiped his sleeve across his eyes in an effort to stop the flow of tears. He shouldn’t cry, crying was a sign of weakness. And if there was one thing Jack Kelly was, it was strong.

 

But at that moment, looking out across the sleeping city, listening to Charlie being loaded into an ambulance below, Jack didn’t feel strong. He felt like what he was- a sad, scared kid. And so Jack did what he always did when he felt that way. He lowered his head and sobbed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I like the ending or not, but it is what it is. Please leave comments/kudos on this chapter, they always brighten my day!


	4. Chapter 4

Lights flashed all around Charlie, pulling him from his restless sleep.

"Where'm I?" he slurred, still half asleep.

"Shhh… don't worry about that now," a voice whispered to him. "Just rest. Everything's going to be fine."

The voice was soothing, and Charlie could feel himself being pulled back into darkness. He decided to let it consume him because at least there he wasn't so tired. At least there it didn't hurt.

********************************************************************************************************

Jack sprinted into the hospital, his heart hammering with excitement. He had managed to convince Kloppman to give him the name of the hospital Charlie had been taken to, and as soon as he had finished selling he had hurried through the streets of New York to get there before visiting hours ended.

"Can I help you, young man?" a woman dressed in a nurse's uniform asked, looking Jack up and down with a disapproving expression.

Jack stood up straighter, fixing the woman with a smile that employed the same easy charm he used to sell newspapers. "Uh, yeah. I'm lookin' for someone. He was brought here last night."

"Name?" the nurse asked after a brief pause, making her way over to the desk at the front of the waiting room and beginning to sift through the stacks of papers on it.

"Charlie. Charlie Morris," Jack answered, following the nurse closely. Then, as it occurred to him that they might let only family members see Charlie he quickly added, "I'm his brother."

The nurse looked at him skeptically. "You're his brother?"

Jack nodded, forcing himself to look sheepish. "Well, half-brother technically. Same dad, different mothers."

The nurse stared at Jack for a moment longer, then nodded and returned to looking through the stacks of papers. Finally, she pulled out a wrinkled sheet with words written on it in messy handwriting. She scanned the list of names, then set the sheet down and regarded Jack with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, but he's not allowed to have visitors at the moment."

Jack's stomach dropped, and his charming grin faded. "What? Why?"

"His fever hasn't broken yet. He's still extremely contagious, and we don't want you getting sick too," the nurse patiently explained, even as she guided Jack towards the exit.

"But I need ta see him!" Jack exclaimed frantically, drawing the disapproving glances of a few people in the waiting area.

"And you can, just as soon as he's well enough," the nurse soothed.

Jack finally gave up on fighting the woman, and he hung his head in defeat. "When will he be well enough?" he mumbled, refusing to meet the nurse's gaze.

The nurse sighed. "I don't know, young man. But I'll tell you what, if you give me your address I'll send you a telegram when you can see him. How's that sound?"

Jack looked up in surprise, suddenly flooded with hope. "Thank you, ma'am!" he exclaimed happily, quickly rattling the address of the lodging house and ignoring her surprised expression upon hearing it. He then (still somewhat reluctantly) left the hospital, content despite not having been able to achieve his goal.

********************************************************************************************************

Charlie was woken by early morning sunlight flooding in through the small window beside his bed. He groaned, his muscles ached and felt tight and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Just as he was drifting back off, however, the door to his room opened and a woman in a nurse's uniform entered. She was carrying a glass of water, and when she saw that Charlie was awake she smiled kindly at him. "Good morning Charlie. Would you like a drink of water?"

Suddenly becoming aware of how incredibly thirsty he was, Charlie nodded. The nurse sat down next to him on the edge of his bed, then helped him sit up and take small sips of the refreshing liquid. "Small sips. Don't make yourself sick," she murmured.

The small glass was soon empty and Charlie gratefully lay back down, exhausted from even that small amount of activity. The nurse made her way over to the door, clearly leaving for the time being. "Miss?" Charlie called weakly, suddenly remembering something important.

The nurse looked over at him. "Yes?"

"Do ya know where Jack is? Has he come to see me?" Charlie asked, his tired brain not registering that this woman probably had no idea who he was talking about.

Thankfully the nurse smiled. "I don't know if his name was Jack, but there was a boy here yesterday looking for you. You can see him soon, I promise."

Charlie visibly relaxed, smiling sleepily at the nurse as he once again began to drift off. "Thanks, miss," he mumbled.

"Of course," the nurse responded, but Charlie didn't hear her. He was already asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's been a minute since I last updated this! So sorry for the long wait, I hope this chapter makes up for it! As per usual, please leave comments and kudos to tell me what you thought of this!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed that, please leave comments/kudos! (Also I don't know when the next chapter of Dark Souls and Dark Minds is coming out, but hopefully I can write it soon!)


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